Action
by Overscore
Summary: From the inspection of footwear to the testing of poison, a dog's life is never dull where Koromaru's concerned. One-shot.


**A/N: **_I don't think Koro got enough love in the game. Not nearly enough! He has like, three minutes worth of dedicated screen time and that's it! Even if he's "just a dog", you can definitely put more into it than that, don't you think? ...Anyway, this time I've come out with something a little more prose-like. Or maybe it isn't prose-like at all. I might have made Koromaru a little ooc, and for that I apologize. Hopefully you enjoy!_

* * *

Koromaru isn't content to just sit around and gnaw on a bone all day. He has to get up and do things. Pattering this way, and trodding that way, he knows that the waking hours are all about action. Yes! Action! Free-form, beautiful, unrestrictive and the essence of being! ...He runs in the dorm sometimes, but Mitsuru is quick to stop him. _But she'd never catch me; she's much too slow! _And he grins.

Sometimes he gets curious.

_What's that in your lap?  
__Tell me why Shinjiro wears a hat all the time!  
__We going for a walk?  
__What's in the refrigerator today?_

And he gets up and paws at the cold, metal box until someone in the dorm gets the idea. Sometimes he even has to raise his voice, but most of the time he's able to get his way before the need arises. (After which he just sits in front of heaven, wondering about all the possible flavors that lie before him.)

One day, Yukari got the wrong idea. "No, Koro-chan; chocolate is not for you!" ...As if he was trying to snag the cake in the first place. The pork rinds were just behind the poison, you know.

_Or… Maybe it isn't poisonous?_

Could be it wasn't. Or maybe it was. His friends were his friends after all, and probably wouldn't joke about poison.

But seeing as how Koromaru was a dog of _action_, he wasn't content to just sit there and wonder about the intricacies of interaction among humans. _Forbidden fruit affects all living beings the same way, I always say!_

So he makes a lunge for the cake as Yukari comes around the side with horror adding twenty years to her face, and he greets her with a rich, chocolatey smile.

Toothpaste never tasted so bad. After having Akihiko shove his large hands into his mouth to get most of the chocolate out, Koromaru decided he'd had enough of the refrigerator for a week.

Other days weren't quite as eventful, and at night, it seemed like everyone wanted to relax. Which was fine by Koromaru; he'd just find something else to do. Looking at the book bindings that adorned the bookshelves in the Command Room, walking into bathrooms and reliving the horrifying experiences of being bathed; there were plenty of things to occupy his time. Inspecting everyone's shoes (what weird things they were! it's as if they were purposely made to celebrate the existence of a human without toes!) was something he'd do every now and then when no one wanted to play.

The ones in front of him seemed harmless enough, but when he came closer…

_Yup, those are Junpei's alright._

And Akihiko's seemed to have the anguish and triumph of a thousand boxing matches crushed into the soles. There were moments when Koromaru thought of all the poundings received at the hand of Akihiko's fists, and all the lessons those people learned in the art of the dodge and weave. ...And throughout every lesson, the teacher was battling demons of his own. It was heroism and depression all mixed with the scent of blood and sweat. Koromaru'd probably think it was poetic if it smelled a little more like blood and a little less like sweat.

And Mitsuru's were right next to Akihiko's. A bit surprising, given the stark contrast in wear and tear between the two pairs, but Koromaru understood. Elegance and ruggedness make for a good match, he always thought.

But after going over some others and realizing he didn't want to smell his friends' feet anymore (he was a dog of action, after all, and no action ever came from attempting to discover the meaning of life through the exploration of stench), he would curl up next to Fuuka and sigh contentedly.

_There's plenty of action to be had when curled up next to Fuuka, if you needed to know._

So when Koromaru falls asleep to the feeling of an angel soothingly stroking his back, he travels back to the time when he supported one who couldn't be as adventurous as he. The smiles exchanged and the trust that was always there was something that Koromaru pined after in his dreams.

_You left me though._ Seeing his friend and protector dying, never to experience anything anymore, and reliving it each night… There were times when Koromaru would think his days with SEES had dulled the ache, but whenever night time came around, he was always proved wrong.

_...I promise I'll experience enough action for the two of us. _And Fuuka would hug the shivering Koromaru, attempting to dispel the nightmare that sent whimpers rattling through his fangs.


End file.
